The present invention relates to a dispenser containing various rolls of material primarily used in the kitchen to cover or wrap food for storage. The focus is toward plastic shrink wrap and aluminum foil, the materials most commonly used for this purpose.
Plastic shrink wrap is proven to be a difficult material to dispense because its very purpose is to cling to itself and to stretch. Both of these characteristics pose serious difficulties in dispensing and cutting the desired length of material.
Extensive testing beginning with full rolls and dispensing them to their core indicates the plastic shrink wrap must be suspended from a core or spindle to satisfactorily unwind without sticking to itself or its enclosure and fouling itself. When attempting to cut, tear or shear plastic shrink wrap, its ability to stretch and be resilient requires special consideration.
A variety of dispensers are known for holding rolls of sheet material. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,271 issued to Geleziunas discloses a rectangular container for holding the roll with the container having a bottom slot through which the leading edge of the sheet material may be pulled. The roll rests on the bottom and side wall of the dispenser allowing for the possible sticking of the thin sheet material to the dispenser walls. A conventional dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,128 for holding the roll of sheet material. A portion of the sheet material is pulled from the dispenser and then torn from the roll starting at one edge of the material and then progressing across the width of the material. Such tearing action allows for the potential of shrink wrap material to overlap it and cling to itself. Instead of the tearing action, what is needed is for the thin sheet to be pierced simultaneously across the width thereof thereby allowing the portion to be severed from the roll in such a manner to eliminate the clinging previously described.
Dispensers similar to the aforementioned dispensers that separate a portion of the seat from the roll by first tearing the sheet at one edge and then progressively tearing the sheet across its width are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: D155,271; 5,125,548; 2,474,076; 2,633,396; 1,713,857; 2,271,135; 3;190,520 and 1,122,673. Another approach is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 293,349 issued to M. P. Newbury wherein a knife having multiple cutting points extends across the width of the sheet with the sheet then being pulled downwardly against the cutting points.
The invention disclosed herein overcomes the aforementioned difficulties. A cabinet is provided that may be attached under kitchen cabinets or to a wall. Multiple rolls of sheet material may be suspendedly mounted within the cabinet allowing the material to unwind freely. A cabinet door may be swung downwardly placing the sheet in a state of tension while piercing the sheet at multiple locations simultaneously across the width of the sheet allowing the sheet to be severed from the roll.
One embodiment of the present invention is a device for holding a roll of flexible sheet and for piercing the sheet to dispense a piece of the sheet from the roll. A sheet support has a sheet stop surface against which a piece of the sheet may be moved against once unrolled from the roll and while still attached to the roll. A blade is movable toward the sheet to contact the sheet simultaneously across the width of the sheet to pierce it and dispense a piece therefrom.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dispenser for holding and dispensing sheet material from rolls.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser of shrink wrap sheet material that is severed from a roll minimizing overlapping and clinging of the severed sheet material.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of storing a roll of thin plastic sheet and allowing a portion thereof to be severed by a blade at multiple locations simultaneously across the width of the sheet.
Related objects and advantageous of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.